Interfaith Dialogue

I was recently invited to be one of the speakers at an Interfaith dinner, organized by a Turkish Muslim organization. The topic of the dinner was Dialogue Civilizations, which is a rather daunting theme. Below are some excerpts from my talk.

Dialogue among Civilizations
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defins "Dialogue" as:
a. A conversation between two or more persons;
b. An exchange of ideas and opinions;
c. A discussion between representatives of parties to a conflict that is aimed at resolution.

For our purposes tonight, we are talking of an exchange of ideas and opinions.

Dialogue is not about winning an argument or changing one’s own beliefs; It is about communicating and listening.

Interfaith dialogue is very important, but we must also bear in mind that the very nature of religion is both a source of conflict and a way to resolve conflict. That is why communicating and listening are such vital parts of the dialogue.

Interfaith Dialogue has many aspects. On a personal level, it can strengthen one’s own faith because it forces one to examine one’s own belief system. In addition, it exposes one to a new or different way of viewing G~d. On a more global level, interfaith dialogue has the ability to affirm the beliefs of both sides by discussing shared beliefs and differences. Such dialogue strengthens the faith communities when they ally with each other.
In order for true Dialogue to work, the parties must be honest with each other. Trust is a critical element of the dialogue. This means not only talking about our commonalities, but also about our differences. Sometimes these differences are things that make us uncomfortable. Misperceptions, dangers and concerns facing Jews and Muslims in America must be addressed. Anti-Semitism must be discussed. Terrorism must be addressed. This is where trust comes in.

Following the Inquisitions, many Jews settled in Turkey. Turkey welcomed the Jews and they were accepted into the community. Jews have generally felt welcome in Turkey ever since. Thus, the rise of anti-Semitism in Turkey in recent months is of concern to American Jews. This is a topic that needs to be discussed.

Sometimes interfaith dialogue can be exhibited through actions. My husband and I were honored with a trip to Turkey a few years ago. Our group included, among others, a cantor and a Catholic priest. One of the things that really sticks out in my mind was our visit to the city where there was a Church, a Mosque, and a Synagogue all in a circle. We entered each house of worship. In the synagogue the cantor sang a Jewish prayer. In the church, the priest recited a prayer, and in the Mosque, we heard the call to prayer. We later visited the city of Ur, where Abraham began his journey. Although Abraham’s story is somewhat different in the Islamic tradition, than it is in the Judeo-Christian tradition, all recognized Abraham as linking the three religions. These experiences enhanced our understanding of each other’s faiths.

Another example of dialogue through actions is the Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem. The Hadassah hospitals are the leading research centers in Israel, specializing in trauma medicine, for obvious reasons. The hospitals have treated literally millions of patients from around the world regardless of race, religion or nationality. In addition, Jewish and non-Jewish doctors and nurses work side-by-side in treating patients. For this reason, the Hadassah Medical Organization was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

Judaism has a concept of Tikkun Olam, which literally means “repair the world.” The modern interpretation of Tikkun Olam involves doing work to improve society. The term indicates one should do perform an act, not because it is required by Biblical law, but because it helps others. In other words, it is our responsibility as humans to repair the is wrong in the world. Engaging in positive interfaith dialogue exemplifies this concept of Tikkun olam.

Also, just sitting down with each other, as we are doing this evening, sends a powerful message to the community-at-large. We have many people of many faiths gather here tonight. While we may all have the same goals in wanting to open dialogue, we are also letting the community know that we are here and willing to come together.

In closing, I would like to leave you with a quote from Hillel, an important Jewish scholar from the Rabbinic age. He lived around the time of Jesus, from approximately 110 BCE to 10 CE: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? / If I am not for others, what am I? / If not now, when?
Now is the time for our dialogue.

© Smolinsky, 2010